{"id":1364,"date":"2015-06-24T08:34:10","date_gmt":"2015-06-24T07:34:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/?p=1364"},"modified":"2015-06-24T14:00:57","modified_gmt":"2015-06-24T13:00:57","slug":"the-cost-of-surrender-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/2015\/06\/24\/the-cost-of-surrender-3\/","title":{"rendered":"The Cost of Surrender. 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 3<\/strong><\/p>\n

There was only so much cheery sunshine a vampire could take. Angel scowled around his bright office, going back over to the controls and plunging the room into darkness once again. For added measure, he closed the curtains with a dramatic swish. His stilted conversation with Wesley had ruined what little good mood he\u2019d managed to make. It was obvious that Wesley thought he was being irrational and selfish.<\/p>\n

The problem was that Angel agreed with him.<\/p>\n

His glower increased tenfold at that involuntary admission. It had to be this office, this building. This entire place was evil. It stank of it. He<\/i> stank of it. It was like working in a bar; the cigarette smoke permeates everything and no matter how many times you shower, it takes days to rid yourself of all traces. Wolfram & Hart had the same effect. Everything he touched felt oily with the filth of evil. It didn\u2019t matter how much he tried to varnish it over with good intentions, the evil was still underneath. For not the first time since he\u2019d agreed to take over this office, Angel cursed his decision. If it weren\u2019t for the safety and future of both Cordelia and Connor, he\u2019d never have taken up their offer. He was starting to think that he\u2019d have been better off rejecting it even if the consequences were less than favorable.<\/p>\n

Second-guessing himself might not get him anything but misery, but he still didn\u2019t have to sit around this place and let the stench of his failed life overwhelm him. He strode toward his private elevator and entered, firmly pushing the buttons to the garage. Once there, he climbed into his necro-tinted Mustang and squealed out of the garage for a soul-healing afternoon drive.<\/p>\n

Not fifteen yards out of the garage, he nearly mowed over four pedestrians and a dog, not to mention a narrow miss of the limousine parked at the curb in front of the building. He came screeching to a halt, his eyes wide and his mouth dropped open in shock. His jaw snapped quickly shut and his lips pressed into a grim line as he angrily took in the sight that had startled him so much.<\/p>\n

Spike. That mouthy, irritating little prick of a childe of his was walking, in broad daylight, no less<\/i>, right in the front doors of Wolfram & Hart. The sun seemed to gleam off his blonde locks, his once-pale skin now bronzed and glowing. Angel growled involuntarily at the disturbing picture. Even from here and at this angle, Angel could see the stark blue of his eyes, made more striking against the golden tan of his face. The leather duster was still very firmly in place, black jeans, combat boots, and a red shirt completing his traditional ensemble. It was clear that he was still a vampire, because a human couldn\u2019t handle late summer weather in LA while wearing full-length leather. But vampires didn\u2019t walk around in the daylight unprotected. And vampires sure as hell didn\u2019t tan.<\/p>\n

What was Spike up to?<\/p>\n

With a lurid curse, Angel swerved the car around in the light traffic and sped back into the garage. The tires squealed as he stopped abruptly, yanking the keys out of the ignition and walked determinedly back to the elevator, punching the buttons to his office.<\/p>\n

The doors opened to his office just in time for him to hear his secretary\u2019s voice over the intercom for the second time that afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Angel?\u201d She asked in that irritatingly efficient tone of hers.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Melanie?\u201d he growled, sitting heavily into his chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cA Mr. Spike is here to see you, sir. He does not have an appointment,\u201d she said, the distaste obvious in her voice. She\u2019d left the connection open, and Angel could hear Spike\u2019s voice in the background.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, c\u2019mon, luv. I can\u2019t be that bad. I haven\u2019t had any complaints before.\u201d<\/p>\n

This time the growl nearly turned into a roar. Taking a deep, calming breath, Angel called upon his frighteningly low reserve of patience. \u201cSend him in, Melanie. And I don\u2019t want to be disturbed for the rest of the evening. Not for any reason, do you hear me? None.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir. Of course, sir,\u201d she said meekly, for once frightened by the power in his tone.<\/p>\n

Angel sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, watching with unconcealed anger and irritation as the blonde vampire strode confidently through the door and sat down dramatically across from him, slouching into a comfortable position and draping his lean frame in the chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cNice digs, Peaches,\u201d Spike said with a smirk, reaching into his duster pocket and pulling out his cigarettes. He lit one and the room filled with smoke. The scent only served to fuel Angel\u2019s anger.<\/p>\n

In a fluid move perfected by 250 years of practice, Angel had Spike shoved up against the wall with his hands around his childe\u2019s throat before Spike could blink.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the bloody hell, Angel?\u201d Spike growled, struggling against the stronger vampire\u2019s hold. \u201cCan\u2019t a vamp come for a friendly visit to his grandsire?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up, Spike,\u201d Angel spat, tightening his hold on the other vampire\u2019s neck. \u201cExplain yourself. NOW.\u201d<\/p>\n

The last word was underlined with a flash of amber fire and the promise of swift retribution if Spike dilly dallied any longer.<\/p>\n

Angel was nearly at the end of his control. Spike had better explain himself, and quick. None of his usual bullshit would be tolerated. Angel was his sire, goddamn it, and he wasn\u2019t going to put up with Spike\u2019s antics. Not this time.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The only indication that Cordelia was in sensory overload was the slight whitening of her knuckles as she gripped the coffee mug in her hands. What Wesley had just told her was mind-boggling, and she had yet to remark on anything he\u2019d told her.<\/p>\n

Wesley just sat in silence, feeling wholly inadequate to console her. How did a friend go about comforting someone whose body had been the source of destruction of her family\u2019s happiness? Especially when said friend didn\u2019t remember any of it?<\/p>\n

\u201cThis Jasmine,\u201d Cordelia said, wanting some clarification, \u201cshe possessed me, and then I gave birth to her? She needed human DNA to become corporeal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Wesley said, nodding when he couldn\u2019t think of anything else to add.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is. . .unbelievable, Wesley. I don\u2019t know what to think,\u201d she admitted, staring down at her reflection in the dark liquid in her mug.<\/p>\n

He sighed. \u201cI don\u2019t blame you, Cordelia. I would have a hard time believing it, too. But I\u2019m not lying to you. That\u2019s everything that I can remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

A disturbing thought suddenly occurred to her. \u201cWho was the father of this evil baby, Wesley?\u201d<\/p>\n

He raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. \u201cFather? I . . . I don\u2019t know, Cordelia. We never found out if there even was one. She could\u2019ve just planted the pregnancy within you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pursed her lips and frowned in disapproval. \u201cIt\u2019s not like you to leave loose ends like that, Wesley. I\u2019m sure that Angel would\u2019ve wanted to know who knocked me up. I mean, look at what he did to Wilson, and we weren\u2019t nearly as close then.\u201d<\/p>\n

He started to look really confused, as if he were truly doubting what he believed to be the gospel truth. \u201cAngel was really angry then, Cordelia. He felt like you\u2019d betrayed him somehow. We didn\u2019t know you weren\u2019t you when you announced your pregnancy. You kind of threw it in his face.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would he be angry with me if someone forced this on me? That would be the same as saying that it was my fault I was raped, and Angel would never do that, no matter how angry he was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right about that,\u201d Wesley conceded. \u201cI have to admit that that whole time period is kind of fuzzy for me. It was a difficult time for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fuzzy memory, my ass.<\/i> Cordelia thought wryly. More like altered memory.<\/i> \u201cI must\u2019ve been willing, or at least the possessed Jasmine in me was willing. The father must\u2019ve been someone that he was really close to, someone so close that he\u2019d feel betrayed if I slept with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

She considered the options. Obviously not Wesley. Gunn maybe, but that wouldn\u2019t anger Angel so much. The only human left was . . .The answer hit her like a ton of bricks, her breath leaving her in a whoosh and making her light headed. \u201cOh, god.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him with wide, stricken eyes. \u201cConnor!\u201d The very wthought of exploiting that boy’s innocence was enough to make her stomach roil, but the answer rang disturbingly true.<\/p>\n

If it was possible, he looked even more confused. \u201cConnor? Who\u2019s Connor?\u201d<\/p>\n

She was stunned. \u201cWho\u2019s Connor? What do you mean, who\u2019s Connor? You don\u2019t remember him?\u201d<\/p>\n

Wesley raised an eyebrow, his look concerned. \u201cNo, Cordy. Should I?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her expression turned thoughtful. There were so many things here that didn\u2019t make sense. She had no doubt that Wesley was telling her what he knew, what he remembered, but there were some glaring holes. Holes that stank of memory erasure. Selective memory erasure.<\/p>\n

Whatever the hell was going on, Wesley was obviously an innocent pawn in all of it. She left the disturbing topic behind them for now, determined to find answers to how all of this started.<\/p>\n

She changed the subject back to the other stomach lurching aspect of Wesley\u2019s story. \u201cExplain to me Angel\u2019s takeover of Wolfram & Hart again. Why did he do it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Wesley let her earlier question go as he answered this one. \u201cAs I told you, Wolfram & Hart offered him an opportunity he couldn\u2019t refuse. Their resources are fathomless, and he knew that his fight could be infinitely more effective if he used what they were offering him. They\u2019d basically said that he had done them a favor by ending world peace with the destruction of Jasmine, and they were bowing out of the LA scene. He could take it and do as he wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wesley looked down at his own drink as he paused. \u201cAnd the most compelling reason he accepted the deal was because they promised they could heal you. It wasn\u2019t until a month or so into the takeover that they told him you weren\u2019t ever going to wake up and there wasn\u2019t anything anyone could do about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia didn\u2019t buy that for a minute. Angel had had multiple opportunities in other instances to gain access to a wealth of information far greater and far less tainted than that of Wolfram & Hart, but he\u2019d always refused on principle. She didn\u2019t doubt that he cared about her, but him putting her in Wolfram & Hart\u2019s less than clean hands was a ludicrous idea. There had to be another explanation. He had to have had another motivation besides what Wesley had told her. And Connor seemed to be the answer to that question.<\/p>\n

Knowing what she knew about Connor and his attitude toward Angel, she wouldn\u2019t be surprised if he had had some sort of emotional breakdown and Angel had opted for a cleansing of his memory and mind to heal him. Only someone like Wolfram & Hart could manage to arrange that, and Cordelia knew that they\u2019d hold an offer like that over Angel\u2019s head until he couldn\u2019t help but accept.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to see Angel, Wesley,\u201d Cordelia said, her eyes searching his. She saw the questions in his eyes, the ones that wondered how she\u2019d woken up and escaped from the hospital. Something was holding her back from answering those questions, though. Her forced coma was something that she knew Wesley had nothing to do with, but she was still wary of letting him know. She didn\u2019t know what he might do if he went looking for answers, and she couldn\u2019t afford to upset the apple cart just yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cCordelia,\u201d Wesley said, obviously uncomfortable with what he was about to say. \u201cAngel has been different in the last few months. When we found out you weren\u2019t you, something inside him died. He\u2019s been regressing to his darker nature, much like he was when Darla was back and he fired us.\u201d<\/p>\n

She gasped involuntarily. \u201cHe\u2019s gone beigey again?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot completely, but he\u2019s rapidly approaching that state. I found some information lately that led me to a cure for his curse, and I made his soul permanent just this afternoon. I was hoping that it would allow him a chance for some happiness and reverse this downward spiral he\u2019s been set on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWesley,\u201d she breathed, \u201cThat\u2019s wonderful! Angel\u2019s soul is permanent. Wow!\u201d The excitement permeated her; she couldn\u2019t help it.<\/p>\n

He smiled too, but it was less enthusiastic than it should have been. \u201cBuffy\u2019s coming to L.A., Cordelia. To be with Angel.\u201d<\/p>\n

She forgot to breathe for a moment. \u201cOh.\u201d Her attention turned downward again and she swirled the liquid in her half empty mug.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m happy that he\u2019s getting what he\u2019s always wanted,\u201d she said with false cheerfulness, her heart crumbling at Wesley\u2019s news.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t know you\u2019re awake yet, Cordy,\u201d Wesley said, hoping to give her some encouragement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat won\u2019t change anything, Wes, and you know it. He\u2019s always wanted Buffy and I\u2019m happy for them. Really. Either way, I still want to see him. I have to see him.\u201d<\/p>\n

He frowned, wanting to argue with her about Angel\u2019s true desires, but knowing she wouldn\u2019t believe him. \u201cVery well. He\u2019ll be home in a few hours. We can go over to his place then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat!\u201d she said, the word sounding so empty and broken. Her heart felt battered and her soul was torn. Angel didn\u2019t love her; he\u2019d forgotten her. And she was still so very much in love with him.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Angel eased his grip on Spike\u2019s neck and let him slide back down to the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cTalk, Spike,\u201d he ordered, backing up to lean on the edge of his desk, his arms folded across his chest.<\/p>\n

Spike glared at him and adjusted his wrinkled shirt. \u201cNice way to treat a relative, Peaches,\u201d he complained.<\/p>\n

His only answer was a low growl of impatience.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d he said, leaning against the far wall and taking on a defensive stance of his own, albeit one with much more nonchalance than Angel\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat little bit of jewelry you sent Sunnydale way awhile back? The one for a Champion?\u201d he smirked at that. \u201cWell, you\u2019re looking at the Champion that used it. It turns out that the little bauble packed quite a punch. Made me nearly invincible. Oh, I can still be staked, I suppose, but the sun is harmless. And the best part is, I still have my soul.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel couldn\u2019t help but snort in derision, but he refrained from commenting.<\/p>\n

Spike glared at the rude noise. \u201cYou\u2019re not the only soul-having undead fighter in the world anymore, Angel. Get used to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

This time Angel couldn\u2019t keep his mouth shut. \u201cI\u2019m still the original,\u201d he said, trying not to sound like a petulant two-year-old.<\/p>\n

Spike rolled his eyes. \u201cAnd that\u2019s a good thing?\u201d he said, his scarred eyebrow raised. \u201cSeems to me like it took you a hundred years to make that soul at home in your body. And it\u2019s so flighty, always wanting to go on vacation and leave Angelus to maim and kill in its wake.\u201d He whistled low and long as his eyes roved over the rich opulence of Angel\u2019s office. \u201cHe would\u2019ve loved the power you have at your fingers these days, Peaches.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel ignored that last comment. \u201cAnd what, you had no trouble adjusting to a soul?\u201d Angel scoffed, knowing that Spike couldn\u2019t have had an easy time of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I did. I\u2019m undead, you moron, not meant to have a soul. It hurt like hell. I nearly ended my own life a couple of times there at the beginning. But I had someone that helped me get through it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel clenched his teeth. \u201cBuffy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spike smiled wistfully. \u201cYeah, she\u2019s a piece of work, my girl is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour<\/i> girl?\u201d Angel said scornfully. \u201cThen how come she\u2019s coming here to live with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Spike straightened up like a shot, coming nose to nose with Angel in a nanosecond. \u201cShe\u2019s what?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

It was Angel\u2019s turn to be smug, and damn, it felt good. \u201cWesley found a way to make my \u2018flighty\u2019 soul stick around for good. I called Buffy, and she\u2019s moving up here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Okay, so Spike didn\u2019t have to know that she wasn\u2019t too excited about it. Let him think she was dying to jump him.<\/p>\n

The younger vampire took a moment to calm his rapidly rising anger. Then he remembered something he\u2019d heard recently. Something about Angel\u2019s affections having shifted from Buffy to someone else. \u201cWhat about the cheerleader, Angel? She screw you over for that pansy-assed ex-watcher?” he mocked.<\/p>\n

Angel vamped out in his rage, grabbing Spike by the throat again. \u201cDo not talk like that about Cordy!\u201d Angel released him with a shove. \u201cShe\u2019s in a coma. She\u2019s not going to wake up.\u201d His voice broke on the last words, a telling sign of the true nature of his affections, even if he wouldn’t admit them to himself.<\/p>\n

Spike snorted disdainfully. \u201cSo you go crawling back to Buffy. I\u2019ve got news for you, Angel. She doesn\u2019t love you anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd just who do you think she does love? You?\u201d Angel scoffed in disbelief. \u201cShe feels sorry for you, maybe, I\u2019ll give you that. But in love with you? Face it, Spike. You\u2019re not man enough for her,\u201d Angel challenged. \u201cShe\u2019s always wanted me, and only me. You were just a sad attempt at replacement when I wasn\u2019t available.\u201d<\/p>\n

His eyes nearly crossing in an attempt to control his fury, Spike stood his ground. \u201cWe\u2019ll see about that, Peaches. She doesn\u2019t know that I\u2019m alive. She thinks I was killed in the explosion at the Hellmouth. When she sees me again, we\u2019ll see who makes her heartbeat speed up, her breath catch, and her thighs tingle. Last I checked, you didn’t do anything of the sort. Even that lousy peck in the crypt when you came to SunnyD wasn’t enough to light her fire.”<\/p>\n

He smirked confidently, then shoved his face in Angel’s. “There’s no way I could miss the smell of her when she’s all hot and bothered. She’s been that way for me more times than I can count. Face it, old man, you’ve lost your touch.”<\/p>\n

Angel didn\u2019t dignify Spike’s rough talk with a reply, and the two vampires stared at each other with amber fire flashing between them. After a moment of tense, non-verbal confrontation, Spike turned and walked out of the room, back down and out into the sunlight where Angel couldn\u2019t follow.<\/p>\n

Showy prick,<\/i> Angel thought jealously. That little upstart was going to throw a monkey wrench into his well-developed plans. Angel, despite his grandstanding, knew that Spike held a very special place in Buffy\u2019s heart, and it was going to be difficult to beat that. After all, he didn\u2019t have a flashy re-emergence from hell going for him this time.<\/p>\n

Part 4<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part 3 There was only so much cheery sunshine a vampire could take. Angel scowled around his bright office, going back over to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-completed-fics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1364"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1364\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}